Thumbs up for Lucy

By Gonzalo Duque

IN ROTARY circles, we have never been so elated as when Dr. Lucy Honrado, incumbent president of our Rotary Club of Uptown Dagupan showed rare leadership qualities as a Rotarian and a Rotary leader.

You see, experts and leadership gurus have yet to give the final word on what drives a person to heights of achievements and glory.

Don’t get us wrong. We already considered all things, that is, the leadership terrain, the whys and wherefores, the particular environment that enabled our club president Lucy to come up with an inspiring harvest in her quarterly report that has made Uptown Rotarians smile and upbeat these days.

Here are the latest guns, panay big guns, that Lucy has recruited to the club:

1. General Leopoldo “Pol” Bataoil, PNP’s regional director. Medyo nagbatbat ng eyelash si Jun Velasco who claims that Pol is in the membership roster of the Rotary Club of Metro Cubao.  “Recruit ko yan just like Gen. Art Lomibao,” sabi ng Jun V. But we snappily countered, “nang nasa Crame pa sila tama ang sinasabi mo.”

2. Dagupan City Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez. Talagang champion na catch ito, ha, Lucy?

3. Councilor Dada Manaois-Reyna

4. Councilor (San Jacinto) Rosallie Ellasus

5. Dr. Irene Bataoil Tabornal, expert on Kilation therapy. Irene, by the way, is Pol’s sister.

6. Sir Abe Tiongson from the famous Tiongson family of Dagupan.

7. More are coming, but suffice it to say that our memory can’t hold so many names in one sitting.

Why are we publicly making this pitch for Dr. Lucy?

Simple. Because while most people these days pay only lip service to civic causes like the Rotary, here is an inspired lady who is putting her heart (and soul, too?) to Rotary.

 We are touched because it was this “makter ya linkor” who founded this club. We are sentimental about it.

So, to you Lucy, cheers and three hugs. We just hope your equally hardworking special friend, Dean Edwin Cancino, will continue to inspire you.

Yes, for the glory of our club and Rotary.

*  *  *

We have figured in a national debate (in the Manila dailies lately) regarding the appointment of NEDA Administrator Romulo Neri as Chairman of CHED (Commissions on Higher Education) vice Dr. Carlito Puno.

Our line of attack is that Mr. Neri, a protege of our speaker Joe de Venecia, maybe a square in a round hole. We are agreed to the fact that Mr. Neri is brilliant. We say “amen” to that. But in the unique calling of education, higher education, that is, we need a more seasoned, specialist type of hand. We have yet to see from Neri’s resume and credential this high qualification.

Firstly, Mr. Neri doesn’t have a doctorate required of a CHED Chairman.

Dian lang sa  punto na  yan, patay na si Neri.

As we have pointed out many times, we need structural reforms in our educational system. There is for instance a yawning disparity between the privileges accruing to private and public education in this country. We need to address the problem urgently with an informed and experienced education leader at the head of CHED.

Precisely we have been thrust to the National Leadership of PACU (Philippine Association of College and Universities) because we have spoken strongly about this great, urgent need.

Mr. Neri, it would be best for you and PGMA and the country, to give way to a  more competent, more qualified chairman.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/playing-with-fire/)

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